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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29426283">Artemis AWOL</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayghosts/pseuds/rayghosts'>rayghosts</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A+ parenting (derogatory), Angst, Angst and Humor, Artemis Fowl clone, Clones, Drama, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Mind Palace, Orion deserved better, Post-The Last Guardian, Repressed Memories, Repression</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:15:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,446</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29426283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayghosts/pseuds/rayghosts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Artemis is back from the dead, or so everyone thought. However, the more memories he gains, the clearer it becomes that he isn’t Artemis--he’s Orion.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Artemis Fowl Big Bang 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>so this was written for the af big bang, which has a minimum of 5k words...and i wrote 17k LMAO (and it's not even done yet!!!) im posting the first 7 chapters i completed now, then the rest as i finish them</p><p>Also, big thanks to Pokegeek151 and Chars for being my betas!! (Chars' help was mostly just chapter 7, but it's still very much appreciated!!)</p><p>ALSO, this fic has some VERY COOL ART by my very cool big bang partners!!!!! (tumblr handles: @hop-a-lot and @di3tcyanide) caspian/dietcyanide's art is on chapter 6, and hop's art is on chapter 7. both arts are beautiful and i love them</p><p>A Knee Ways. enjoy the story</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Holly had made it a routine to visit Artemis every full moon, and the moon was especially full tonight. She flew across the sky, her body buzzing from her recently renewed magic. The world passed by below her as she followed the same route as always toward Fowl Manor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fairy roses--still standing even after Artemis’s revival--waved at her in the breeze. Holly flew to Artemis’s window and landed neatly on the windowsill. She peeked inside and saw him sitting at his desk, reading a book. Turning off her shield, she rapped on the window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis looked up. When he spotted her, his face split into a grin for a short moment before settling back into his regular disgruntled expression. He did this every time she visited, and it always amused her. It was as if he wanted to hide how much he liked seeing her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis took in a breath and straightened his posture before he went to the window and opened it. “Hello, Holly,” he greeted, as formal as always.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly smiled. “Hey, Artemis. How is your rehabilitation going?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s going well. I can run without crutches now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can run? Your new body must be stronger than your old one, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis laughed. His face was stretched into a smile, before he quickly forced it down and instead turned his attention to the object in her hands. “Is that another file for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly held out the binder for him to see. “You should be thanking me for this, you know. I go through the effort of documenting every adventure we go through just to help you jog your memory.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thank you for your effort,” Artemis said with a respectful nod as he accepted it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he took the folder, she hesitated before asking, “How is your memory, by the way?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis kept his eyes on the file. His shoulders were tense as he answered, “It is well. I am getting many of them back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good news, then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. It is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His aloofness was enough to convey that she wouldn’t be getting much information from him. Holly wondered if he was hiding something, and why. She shouldn’t be surprised, really. He always hid things.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Changing the subject, he read out the label on the file. “The Last Guardian.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly looked down at the file title, written out in both Gnommish and English for Artemis’s sake. “That’s right,” she said, then, “this is the last file.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis looked up in surprise. “You mean…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she said. “It ends with your… ah…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perishing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly chuckled at his fancy choice of words. “Yes. That.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis stared at it for a moment longer. Rather than read it, though, he set it down on the window sill and settled his hands on top. “I read the last file you gave me. The one with the Atlantis Complex.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly waited for him to say more, wondering why he would bring it up. His eyes refused to meet hers. His head tilted slightly, and he said, “So...Orion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly grimaced. “Yeah, uh. That was an awkward experience.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was he really that bad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was looking at her now, and she noticed his expression held a hint of--guilt? Her eyes widened, and she assured, “Don’t worry, I know you weren’t yourself at the time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked away again and said, “Well--yes, of course. But he is still a part of me. I don’t want you to...to hate him, or anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was acting uncharacteristically nervous. Holly frowned, but thought about his question anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He did get better,” she told him. “I only include the fairy part of our adventures in the documents, since I assume your family can tell you the human part. But during the half year you spent recuperating from your Complex, Orion learned from your therapy about respecting boundaries. Since then, he was okay to be around.” She smiled, and added as an afterthought, “In fact, I kind of miss him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis looked up at her in surprise. “You do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly shrugged. “He was funny. Though, I don’t feel that bad about him being gone. No offense to Orion, but you’re my favorite of the two.” She had meant that as a lighthearted statement, and even nudged him playfully, but Artemis didn’t laugh. His lips were pulled down in a frown. Holly hesitated. Did she say something wrong?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy leaned away from the window and said, “I should get you a coffee. It is cold outside.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Holly assured him, but he shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I insist,” he said, and walked out of the room before she could say anything else. The sight of his back felt unusually cold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What did she do wrong?</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Butler roamed the ground floor of the manor like a silent sentinel. If asked, he would say he was keeping a nightly watch over the Fowl family. In truth, though, he simply couldn’t sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis’s death brought along with it strong insomnia for the bodyguard. Anytime he closed his eyes, he was plagued with visions of his charge’s soul leaving his body, and he would wake up and remind himself desperately that Artemis would be brought back, of course Artemis would be brought back. And he was. Artemis was alive again, and one would expect that to put his nightmares at ease, but all it did was target a different anxiety. After all, what if someone attacked his charge while Butler was asleep? He couldn’t stand the idea of losing him again. So, he walked the halls at night, keeping himself preoccupied with lookout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Butler paused in his step as he heard someone descend the stairs. He wasn’t worried, though. He recognized the footsteps as those belonging to his principal. Sure enough, the boy appeared and nodded at Butler in greeting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good evening,” Butler said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, Butler.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The bodyguard looked to the window, where the full moon shone in the sky. “Did Holly visit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She did,” the boy confirmed. Butler waited for him to say more. He knew his charge enjoyed spending time with Holly and wondered what brought him away from her. He didn’t have to wait long before he explained. “I thought I could bring some warm drinks for us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Butler kept his expression neutral. “Of course,” he responded, heading toward the kitchen. His charge followed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once in the kitchen, Butler quickly began making the beverages--decaf coffee for Holly, and earl gray tea for Artemis. As he did, he kept an eye on the boy and watched as he sat down by the kitchen counter. Butler knew Artemis like the back of his hand, and he didn’t miss how strange he had acted ever since being brought back to life. It was all in the details--the way his hands fidgeted, his preferences in food, the brush strokes of his hair. Perhaps any other person would be fooled, but Butler was skilled in noticing the miniscule, and he knew better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He brought the tea and set it on the counter in front of Artemis. The boy took one sip before immediately grimacing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there a problem?” the servant asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced up at him before setting the cup back down. “Sorry--it’s just very bitter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? I made it just the way you like it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he quickly said, “Is that so? I apologize. My taste buds must be different after being revived.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can bring you sugar if you’d like,” Butler suggested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, please,” the boy said gratefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Butler brought him the sugar container, then stood back and watched silently as he scooped way too much sugar into his tea. He waited until the drink was stirred and brought up to his lips before he spoke. “Orion loves sugar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He spit out his drink. Butler was prepared for this reaction, and he readily gave the boy a napkin. He frantically dabbed the tea from his clothes as he said in a high pitched voice, “Really? Isn’t that strange!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Orion,” Butler said, “I know it’s you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion stopped, and he sighed. His posture fell, his expression loosened, until all pretense was gone from his act as Artemis. “I am sorry, brave Butler. I know you long for Artemis, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Butler told him, and Orion looked up in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Butler set his hands on the counter. He had been thinking about his words for a long time, yet still felt nervous as he finally said them. “I understand how traumatizing dying can be,” he began. “For all Artemis’ boasts about his mind, it can be frail at times, and I don’t blame him for it. If you were brought back to help him deal with this, then I’m fine with that.” He met Orion’s eyes, both a somber blue, and said, “Artemis, I know you’re listening from inside your mind. Whenever you’re ready to come out, I’ll be waiting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his speech finished, he turned away to finish brewing Holly’s coffee. To him, he had said all that needed to be said. What he didn’t know was that he was wrong. Artemis wasn’t listening. If all this was because Artemis told Orion to step in for him, then he wouldn’t have spent as much effort hiding it from his family. No--Artemis didn’t hear him, because Artemis wasn’t there. When Orion had peeked into their mind office, he found it empty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis was missing.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Holly stood at the foot of Artemis’s grave. For all the Fowl family’s pomp, it was a simple grave, with only a small tombstone and a patch of fairy roses to mark it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had visited this place many times over the months he was dead. She should really stop, now that he was alive, but old habits are hard to break.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was strange to think that one of her eyeballs was buried under there. Foaly had suggested, once, that they dig out the old body so they could graft the eyeball into the clone, but Holly declined. It felt wrong to disturb the grave. Even if they were bringing him back, he had looked so peaceful when he passed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe now that he was up and about, they could ask him if he wanted that, she thought to herself. As she did, the grass behind her rustled, and she turned around to see the boy in question approach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Artemis,” she greeted him. “Sorry for leaving your room. The file is still where you left it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t reply. He was holding a mug of coffee in his hands, which she guessed was meant for her, but he didn’t offer it. Instead, he clung to it like a source of comfort. Holly frowned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is something wrong? If I offended you back there, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault, it’s…” He sighed. “We need to talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly was brought to attention, and she faced him expectantly. Would he finally reveal to her what he had hidden? “Okay. What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stared down at the coffee in his hands for a moment, as if glaring at the swirling liquid helped him concentrate, before he finally ripped off the metaphorical band-aid and said, “I’m not Artemis.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly frowned. “I thought we discussed this before. Just because you’re in a different body doesn’t mean you’re a different person. As long as you still have your original soul, then--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” he interrupted, looking up from the coffee with wide eyes. “No, this isn’t about me being a clone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Orion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly gave a burst of laughter, then saw that he wasn’t smiling and cut it off. “You’re kidding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scowled and asked, “Why would this be a jest?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Because you’ve just read the Atlantis Complex file, and you know I find him annoying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never meant to bother you, Princess. But I assure you, there is no fooling around.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop talking like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But this is how I pronounce my sentences. I am Orion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Artemis--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not--!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” a sudden burst of emotionality gripped him and caused him to swing out his arms, forgetting about the coffee he was holding. It spilled in an arc onto Holly’s feet, and she hissed and jumped back. A horrified expression formed on the human’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am sorry, I did not mean to harm you, Princess--I mean Holly--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly glared, ready to yell at him, but the words stopped in her throat. She looked at him and saw in his eyes that he was being genuine. Her anger simmered down, and she said, “You really believe you’re Orion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But...are you sure you’re not just confused? Your Complex was cured. Maybe you just read about Orion and thought…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion scowled, and told her, “I am not confused from reading about myself. I was confused before I read it. I had memories of every venture happening, but it was always from the back of Artemis’s mind, never experiencing anything myself. Now I know my memories. I am Orion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood his ground and waited for her reaction. Holly’s mouth hung open. She was quiet as the information sunk in. Finally, she asked, “What about Artemis?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion calmed down and turned his gaze to his feet. “I--I do not know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, you do not know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean I have been the lone coachman since our resurgence. Artemis has not been awake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All this time, Artemis was really his alter? How long has it been since the human’s resurrection? Months? And Holly never suspected a thing. He did act off at times, sure, but she had assumed it was due to his new body and memories.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly’s lips pressed together. Her hand moved to the buzz baton on her belt. Orion’s eyes traced her fingers as they closed around the weapon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What--” was the only thing that made it out of his mouth before she rammed the electric device into his leg. He yelled as the shock made it across his muscles and caused them to spasm, the mug falling from his hand and landing in the grass. As soon as he recovered, he yelled, “What was that for?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly watched his demeanor, but there was no noticeable shift after the electrocution. “If you have Atlantis Complex, the shock should have switched you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is what I’m trying to say! This is no Atlantis Complex!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly frowned. “What do you mean? You exist because of his Complex.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not this time.” He huffed, his brows drawn together. “It is as I said. Artemis is missing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly scanned his face, desperate to find a hint of jest in spite of his promise. There was no way this was happening. Artemis couldn’t be so far off the deep end that he lost his entire original personality. She slowly shook her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion only gave her a sympathetic look. “I knew you would hate it. That was why I was hesitant to reveal the truth, but I could never shroud it forever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But...it’s not possible. No way.” She ran a hand across her face and chuckled. “We meant to bring Artemis back. We went through all that effort to bring him back--and instead, all we get is </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t notice anything wrong with her wording until she said it, and Orion looked like he had been stabbed in the gut. She paused after seeing his hurt expression, and said, “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out very nicely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion’s fists balled by his side. He looked to the ground and muttered, “You hate me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t hate you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You called me annoying. You said you preferred him over me, and that you--you were glad when I was gone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The magic buzz in Holly’s skull, previously ecstatic, had now turned into a headache. This was too much. She could barely take in the fact Artemis was actually Orion this whole time, and now she had to come to terms with the idea that she had insulted him right to his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t hate you,” she repeated. “I only prefer Artemis because I have known him for longer, and he’s my friend. The sole reason I wasn’t disturbed when you were gone was because I was worried about his mental health. I knew your disappearance meant he was healing from his complex. It had nothing to do with your personality.” When Orion didn’t respond, she sighed and added, “and you’re not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> annoying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion stayed quiet. He didn’t seem fully convinced, but at least his frown relaxed a fraction. After a tense moment, he softly said, “I understand. I am concerned for Artemis as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion was concerned for Artemis. Holly didn’t want to know just how bad that meant the situation was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly looked to the ground, where the spilt coffee had mixed with the mud. “I just don’t understand,” she muttered. “Why isn’t Artemis there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion shrugged. “All I know is that it has only been me since the awakening. Perhaps he’s…” He trailed off, and Holly looked up to see him gaze over her shoulder. She turned around and saw Artemis’s grave. “...perished,” he completed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That word hung heavily in the air. There was silence, apart from the whisper of the breeze and the rustle of leaves. Holly became acutely aware of the rose thorns scratching on her suit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mouth set into a thin line. She holstered her baton and brought out in its stead her moonbelt and a sheet of cam foil. “Come on,” she said, turning her back to the grave so that she faced Orion once more. “We’re going to Haven.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion looked at her, surprise in his eyes. “Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said you’re concerned about Artemis, right? If something was botched during the resurrection process, then Foaly should know. Maybe then, we could find a way to fix this and bring Artemis back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion seemed to hesitate for a long moment. Holly kept her eyes fixed on him, refusing to follow his line of vision to where she knew the tombstone glared behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, he nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was hard for Foaly to concentrate on his work with his superior watching him like a troll. He glanced up from the device in his hands to look at Commander Trouble Kelp standing in front of his desk, eyes glued to Foaly’s work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you building?” Kelp asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly answered, “I’m trying to incorporate magnetorheological fluid-based dampers into the new suit design for better protection without it being triggered by the vibrations from shielding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see the gears turning in Trouble’s head as he scratched his temple. “And--that’s a good thing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes, it’s a good thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” He nodded affirmatively. “Then good work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly sighed and set down his tools. “You know, you don’t have to keep constant vigil over </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> I do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know that isn’t possible. The Council wasn’t very happy about your little </span>
  <em>
    <span>necromancy</span>
  </em>
  <span> trick with the clone pod.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“First of all, it’s not necromancy because Artemis’s soul was already around, I just made the body for him. And second of all, the pod was going to be destroyed anyway. I simply put it into good use.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, but you must see this from the Council’s perspective. If one person brings himself back to life, then what’s stopping everyone from cheating death? Bad people, even?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure Opal cheated death before Artemis did,” Foaly muttered. “Anyway, Artemis sacrificed himself to save the world. Surely that could be an exception?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If he died a hero, then he should have stayed dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, ouch, okay.” Foaly tilted his head, and he fixed trouble with a serious look as he said, “There was a very good reason I resurrected him, you know, and I’m sure you would have done the same in my place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what reason is that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holly wanted to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Trouble’s eyebrows slowly rose on his forehead. Foaly grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...You know Holly and I stopped dating ages ago, right? I don’t care about her feelings anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Suuure,” Foaly drawled, still smiling as he returned to his work. Trouble rolled his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes, Trouble wondered why he even bothered with this job. His eyes paused mid-roll as they landed on two figures who entered through the door. When he saw who it was, he groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you? You need permission to bring a human to Haven.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly, closing the door behind her, raised an eyebrow and said, “But it’s Artemis. He visits so often, I just assumed he doesn’t need permission anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right.” He rubbed his face and muttered, “I hate that you’re right.” Pulling his head away from his hands, he asked, “Why are you here this time?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to talk to Foaly.” It was Fowl who answered. Trouble looked at him and noticed the wrinkle between his brows and the fidget in his step. He narrowed his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sound worried. Is it something bad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly and Fowl both froze. They exchanged a quick look before Holly said, “No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lie was so obvious it hurt. But why would she lie? If Fowl was concerned about something, it usually meant something bad for fairies, and that would require them to open up to LEP help. Unless…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this…” Trouble asked… “something to do with your cloning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only reason Holly and Foaly were free fairies after Artemis’s resurrection process was because, as much as the Council loathed to admit it, Foaly was right about him being a hero. But if there was even a sliver of a chance of this action being a mistake, they all knew how much trouble they could get into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fowl was so still he could have been a statue. Holly stood in the same spot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” she lied again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly had abandoned his project, able to sense the anxiety in the room. Trouble and Holly stood staring at each other. Holly knew he could see through her lie. He could tell from the plea in her hazel-and-blue eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Trouble hated himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly was always right, wasn’t he? Whether as dating partners, colleagues, or friends...Trouble will always care for Holly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As nonchalantly as possible, he nodded and said, “All right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly’s expression didn’t change, but he could tell she was grateful from the way her eyes softened. Trouble shrugged and left the room, leaving the trio to deal with whatever problem they had caused in private.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as Trouble walked out, Foaly turned to the pair and asked, “All right, what went wrong? Please tell me your body is working fine.” He leaned forward on his desk to peer at the human like a concerned hen and noted, “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine. Is it internal? Are your viscera atrophying? Your blood vessels bursting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Fowl leaned away from his scrutiny, Holly answered, “His body is fine. It’s his mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His mind? Oh no. He’s not remembering anything, is he? Can he still form new memories? I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> the brain lube was risky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The brain what?” said the human, then shook his head. “Nevermind. My memories are intact, fret not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, well,” said Holly, and eyed the human. “You see…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fowl decided to take initiative. He stepped forward, arms wide in a dramatic gesture (already a warning sign), and declared, “My noble steed, we require your assistance in a quest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly didn’t hear or care about anything past the words </span>
  <em>
    <span>noble steed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His mouth hung open slightly, and he stared at Holly. “Is this a prank?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fowl frowned. “Why does everyone take my existence for a joke?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly sighed, waving at the boy and explaining, “Orion’s back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly turned his stare to Orion, who smiled meekly at him. Foaly stayed that way for a minute before he buried his face in his hands. “Oh, no. His Complex is back, isn’t it?” he said. “I knew it. I thought I could keep out the magic from the environment away from his brain, but…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually,” Orion interrupted, “that is not </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> the case.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly looked up at him with a frown. “What do you mean? You exist to protect Artemis from his Atlantis Complex, don’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion hesitated, and he and Holly shared another look. Foaly felt his stomach sink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> switch with Artemis, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion faced him once more, his face set into an uncharacteristic frown, and told him, “Artemis has been silent since our resurrection. I am…concerned.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly looked to Holly for confirmation, who simply shrugged. He turned back to Orion and said, “Since the resurrection? He hasn’t surfaced at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span>? How come we never noticed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion shrugged and replied, “To be fair, I was unaware of my identity before my memories were retrieved. So, I acted along to your accounts of Artemis’s demeanor, since that was what you expected of me.” Shifting his feet, he added, “However, now that my memories have been reclaimed, I do recall learning how to masquerade as him during our therapy sessions. The point was to integrate ourselves into one person, so that his personality is no longer split.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And now you’re split again,” Foaly said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion began to nod, then paused himself and pointed out, “As split as one can be when one piece is missing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But…” Foaly frowned and asked, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly stepped forward and answered, “We were hoping you might have an idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me? Why would I…” Foaly cut himself off, then said, “Wait. You don’t think this has to do with his resurrection process, do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What other explanation is there?” said Orion. “Artemis is gone, is he not? He sacrificed himself, and now I am here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly chuckled and said, “Nope. No way. The clone body is only working because it has Artemis’s soul. A soul is a person’s consciousness--</span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of it. You can’t have only </span>
  <em>
    <span>part</span>
  </em>
  <span> of a soul. It’s just not possible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you certain?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. Absolutely. Positive. No doubt about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he using too many affirmative words to hide the fact he might not have been 100% certain? Perhaps. And what about it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly narrowed her eyes, no doubt sensing his uncertainty. Still, she ventured, “You’re saying Artemis is still in there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When have I ever been wrong? Don’t answer that. It’s never.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion frowned, clearly not satisfied with his answer. “Then why can I not hear him?” the boy asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly raised his palms in surrender. “How should I know? Split personalities are a mental thing. Maybe you should speak to a psychiatrist.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A psychiatrist…? You mean, like the kind doctor who cured Artemis of his Atlantean curse?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Foaly raised an eyebrow. “Dr. Argon? I guess so, if he’s available.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He better be,” Holly said, crossing her arms. “We’re not going home until we figure out what’s happening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a brief second, Foaly thought he saw a frown flash across Orion’s features. However, it was quickly replaced with a smile as he straightened up and declared, “Onwards with the quest, then! We shall rescue Artemis from the confines of our twisted mind!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, good luck with that,” Foaly replied, and he picked up his tools again. “Unfortunately, I’m too busy to accompany you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Farewell, then, noble steed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Orion?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could you not call me ‘noble steed’ anymore?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, good horse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holly snorted. Foaly fixed him with a look that could only be described as hopeless. “That’s...not really better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just go,” Foaly said, and Orion complied. The centaur kept an eye on them as they exited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He prayed to Frond they didn’t bleep this up.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dr. Jerbil Argon both loved and despised Artemis Fowl.</p><p>He loved him for the one gift he had given him: fame. After all, no fairy before him had ever treated a human patient! And boy, was that Fowl a complicated patient. Humans on their own had different enough psyches from fairies, and Fowl was in a whole league by himself. It was a challenge treating him, but it was worth it, because in the end, it had gained Argon undying respect from the community.</p><p>But that was within just the Psychiatric Brotherhood. The general public in Haven had been intrigued by Artemis Fowl way before he succumbed to Atlantis. Whether it was horrified fascination with his evil actions, or genuine curiosity about his past life, everyone wanted to know more about him. Argon had a free pass to learn all the juicy details, enough to fill up a whole (might he say potentially bestselling) book. Should he publish his notes, he could become the wealthiest fairy below earth.</p><p>Which brings him to why he despised Artemis Fowl: he wasn’t allowed to.</p><p>Obviously, patient confidentiality was a thing. Argon would never leak a fairy’s medical records...well, at least without changing their name. But Artemis Fowl wasn’t a fairy. Argon had planned on waiting until after his death, when the binding was no longer legal, to write a book about him. With how short human lifespans are, he figured it would take a few handfuls of decades until that happened. Then, about a year ago, news of his early death spread like wildfire--apparently, he had died protecting the world from Opal Koboi. Argon was ecstatic. He immediately grabbed his keyboard and began writing his book. It was just nearing its completion…</p><p>...and then Artemis Fowl came back to life.</p><p>Argon sat in his office, chin in hands, as he stared down once more at the manuscript on his desk. He could almost hear it laughing at him. The best content he had ever written, and he wasn’t allowed to even consider publishing it until Fowl died a second time. Of course, with his luck, the human probably found a way to circumvent death completely and live as long as a fairy could.</p><p>A heavy sigh escaped the doctor’s lips. It wasn’t fair. Confidentiality only existed as long as the person in question was alive, and if Fowl already died once, then the contract should have perished along with his older life.</p><p>...Hey, maybe there was some truth in that line of thinking. After all, things that break tend to stay broken, and if the contract was broken by death, then it shouldn’t exist anymore. Argon could simply use that if he was ever taken to court. He doubted Fowl would sue him anyway. The Mud Boy was probably too busy getting his recently recovered life back in order to blink an eye if Argon chose to spill his secrets.</p><p>Argon found himself smiling at the manuscript. What was Fowl going to do? Storm into his office then and there to stop him?</p><p>A knock sounded on his door, and a secretary peeked his head in. “Um, someone would like to speak with you.”</p><p>Argon, disgruntled from being pulled away from his scheming, swiveled in his chair to frown at him. “I don’t have any appointments now.”</p><p>“No, you don’t…”</p><p>“Then who is it?”</p><p>The fairy seemed to struggle with explaining, but luckily for him, he didn’t have to. The door opened from behind him, and in stepped--</p><p>Argon squeaked. “A-Artemis Fowl!”</p><p>His hand fumbled around his desk, hurriedly shoving the manuscript into a random drawer, before he stood up and faced the human that just walked in. Artemis Fowl and Holly Short stood in his office. Short raised an eyebrow at his nervous behavior.</p><p>Argon cleared his throat. He tried to stop himself from sweating as he said, “What a surprise. How may I help you?”</p><p>“What was that you hid just now?” Holly asked.</p><p>“Nothing. Why are you here? You don’t have an appointment, so I shouldn’t be speaking to you.”</p><p>“You just said you’re willing to help us.”</p><p>“It’s--I--what do you want?”</p><p>Holly judged him with narrowed eyes. Meanwhile, Fowl seemed quite oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation, which was...odd. Normally, he would have gotten in a snarky comment by now.</p><p>Argon’s nervousness was replaced by confusion.</p><p>Thankfully for him, Holly explained. “Whatever that was, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “We’re here because we need your help.”</p><p>Argon eyed Fowl curiously. So, then, his peculiar behavior had a mental cause?</p><p>As the human moved to respond, it clicked. Argon had memorized his behavior from their past therapy sessions, and he already knew whom he was speaking to before he opened his mouth.</p><p>“Noble healer,” the boy said, “I’m afraid that I, Orion, have returned.”</p><p>“You’re Orion!” Argon said, and immediately he was filled with joy. Orion had always been the nicer of the two, and <em> he </em> wouldn’t mind if Argon wrote a book on them. </p><p>Holly cleared her throat. Argon saw her glare at him, so he quickly forced down his smile and replaced it with a frown. “I mean...you’re Orion,” he repeated, more seriously this time.</p><p>The frown was forced at first, but as the implication of that statement sunk in, it became more genuine. “Wait,” he said, staring at the human. “How?”</p><p>Orion shrugged. “That is what we were hoping you could enlighten us on. The villain is not the Atlantis Complex--or if it is, I could not tell, since Artemis has never surfaced.”</p><p>“He never surfaced?”</p><p>“No. I cannot hear him in my thoughts, either.”</p><p>Argon stroked his chin. His writer mode was temporarily pushed to the side as his psychiatrist mode took over, churning out ideas in his head that could possibly explain this oddity. Once again, Fowl has presented him with a challenge; he doubted any patient before had been dead for a full six months then returned with a changed personality.</p><p>Without even being aware of it, the gnome made his way to the cushions where he often sat during sessions. Even though Fowl hadn’t set up an appointment, it seemed a given that the human was now his patient again.</p><p>“I presume you already tried meeting him in your headspace?” Argon asked.</p><p>Orion nodded. He, too, had seated himself down. “I scouted our mind office. It was empty.”</p><p>The mind office was a place inside Artemis and Orion’s shared imagination, established by Artemis during their first Atlantis Complex. It was meant to be a place where one of them would stay and watch while the other took over, but it also functioned during their therapy sessions to be a place where both of them could exist simultaneously and talk things over.</p><p>“Your mind office,” Argon said. “It’s quite small, isn’t it?”</p><p>Orion thought it over. The mental office was based off of Artemis’s real office, which was slightly larger than most offices, but still only one room. “I suppose so,” he answered.</p><p>“The office represents only a part of your mind. If Artemis is still there, then he must be somewhere else, out of reach from your immediate consciousness.”</p><p>“You mean...in the larger mind <em> mansion </em>?”</p><p>Argon smiled. “You could say so.”</p><p>Holly was hovering to the side, listening in on their exchange with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She chose that moment to speak up. “You said <em> if </em> Artemis is there,” she pointed out.</p><p>Argon glanced at her nervously. He seemed intimidated by her presence. “Yes, well. It <em> is </em> only a possibility.”</p><p>“What’s the other possibility?”</p><p>Argon gulped as he answered. “That he was forgotten completely, and Orion is the new main personality.”</p><p>There was a heavy silence following that. </p><p>Holly chose not to look at Orion, instead turning her gaze to the wall with pursed lips. Orion, however, had no such reservations and glanced at her. From this angle, her blue eye was clearly visible, the one she had gained from Artemis so long ago.</p><p>Orion’s heart clenched. No matter what she said, he knew she didn’t like him--which was painful because he still loved her. All he wanted was for her to be happy. If she wanted Artemis back, then he would do anything to achieve that.</p><p>“I will save him,” he announced. He faced Argon, who calmly steepled his fingers in his lap.</p><p>“You will have to traverse through your mind,” the psychiatrist said.</p><p>Orion nodded.</p><p>“You may not like everything you find.”</p><p>Orion hesitated for just a second, then nodded again.</p><p>“Then relax. Close your eyes. Visualize your headspace.”</p><p>Argon laced his words with a hint of mesmer for full effect. It worked, and Orion leaned into the couch with his eyelids draped close.</p><p>To the outside world, Orion appeared to fall asleep.</p><p> </p><p>To Orion, he woke up inside his mind.</p><p>He opened his eyes--or mental projection of his eyes, anyway--to be greeted by the familiar sight of their office. The gel screen, showing the insides of his eyelids, buzzed on one wall. On the opposite side across from it stood Artemis’s desk. Just like the past times Orion had checked, the chair was empty.</p><p>Orion ran a hand through his hair. He liked being inside their mind because it meant he could look however he wanted, and in his mind’s eye, he was better looking than Artemis. His hair was softer, his features more welcoming, and his outfit flashier. Well...not that it would matter anymore if no one was there to see him.</p><p>Even though he figured it was pointless, he turned in a circle to give the office one more look-over, entertaining the slightest chance that something new could have popped up when he wasn’t looking. After confirming that nothing had changed, he paused in place and thought about what Argon instructed him to do.</p><p>What did he say? The office was too small. Artemis was elsewhere, someplace in the wider reaches of their consciousness.</p><p>Orion imagined a way out of the office, leading deeper into their mind--a door. No sooner had he imagined it than it appeared in front of him. An intricate wooden door, nestled in the wall behind the desk and the empty chair.</p><p>Well, that was easy. Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing if what lay beyond it was as simple. He walked around the desk until he stood in front of the door. His hand clasped around the doorknob, feeling cool under his touch despite it being imaginary. He took a deep breath. Then he turned the knob and pushed it open.</p><p>He was in Fowl Manor. At least, it looked that way. It was a perfect photograph of his memory of the place, with the same wallpaper, same grand staircase and tall pillars, wide hall and rows of doors. But what was different, once Orion paid better attention, were the paintings on the walls. Instead of portraits of long deceased relatives, he saw pictures of people he held close. Holly, Butler, Minerva.</p><p>Orion gingerly walked down the flight of stairs. He felt the banister rub against his hand as he descended, feeling as real as if he were really in his home. His footsteps echoed across the empty mansion. When he looked out the windows, he found starry skies winking back.</p><p>Orion landed on the ground floor, and he found he wasn’t sure what to do. He supposed he could search through every room in the building for Artemis. Would that work?</p><p>Just as he was debating where to start, a creaking sound came from behind. He whipped around just in time to see the door to the library click close. ...Perhaps he didn’t need much searching after all.</p><p>He bounded toward the door and threw it open. Inside, startled, stood Artemis.</p><p>“Oh, you’ve found me,” the other boy said.</p><p>Orion’s mouth grasped for words for a moment, before he finally composed himself and cried out, “Artemis! Where in the devil have y--”</p><p>Before he could finish his sentence, the other held up a finger to stop him. Once sufficiently silent, he calmly said, “I’m not Artemis.”</p><p>Orion froze and stared. The person in front of him gave a smile--a very un-Artemis-like smile. He certainly looked like Artemis, but it was clear from his demeanor and the way he held himself that this was a different alter. That, and the clothes he was wearing were too informal for Artemis to imagine himself in.</p><p>“What...then…” Orion frowned. “Who are you?”</p><p>Not-Artemis tapped a finger on his chin thoughtfully. “You know, I haven’t really thought of a name yet,” he said. “I guess, if we are to go with the whole Greek mythology motif, then I could be Apollo.”</p><p>Orion winced. From what he remembered of Greek mythology, there was at least one version where Apollo caused Orion’s death.</p><p>Apollo chuckled and said, “Don’t worry, I have no plans of siccing a scorpion on you or anything like that.”</p><p>Oh, right. Of course they could read each other’s thoughts when they shared the same brain. Orion was used to sharing his thoughts with Artemis, but not with this stranger Apollo.</p><p>“Apollo,” Orion said, testing out the name on his tongue. “Why do you exist?”</p><p>“That’s a philosophical question, isn’t it?”</p><p>“You know what I mean.”</p><p>Alternate personalities exist as a coping mechanism. If an alter exists, then it likely has a specific function, just as Orion’s function was to help Artemis deal with his piling stresses during his bout with Atlantis Complex.</p><p>Apollo smiled. He rocked on his heels and said, “Technically, I existed first.”</p><p>Orion frowned. “No, you didn’t,” he said, with only a hint of hesitation.</p><p>Sensing his confusion, Apollo chuckled and said, “Oh, no, I don’t mean in general. Timewise, you’re definitely older than me.”</p><p>All that statement did was confuse Orion further, and they didn’t have to share a brain for Apollo to see that. Apollo gestured to himself and explained, “I’m the oldest in <em> this </em> body, unrelated to you and Artemis.”</p><p>“This body…” Realization dawned on him, and he asked, “You mean the <em> clone </em>?”</p><p>Apollo made a grand bowing gesture and replied, “The one and only. Well--assuming Foaly didn’t make any other clones before me.”</p><p>“Are you implying you’re the clone’s original consciousness?”</p><p>“That is exactly what I’m saying. No implying about it.”</p><p>“But that is impossible. Clones are mindless.”</p><p>“Correction: they are <em> soul </em>less,” Apollo told him. “We can argue about what a soul exactly entails, but a brain can still exist without one. Remember Nopal? Holly mentioned her once or twice. Both Holly and Artemis agreed she had some level of thinking despite not having a soul.”</p><p>Orion stood still as that information sunk in. Apollo only watched him patiently, still wearing that carefree smile of his. The silence was broken when Apollo chuckled again.</p><p>“Sorry, I didn’t expect to be speaking to you. It’s been, what, months since you’ve been in this body, and you’ve never ventured past your office until now.”</p><p>Orion narrowed his eyes. “All this time, you have been lurking here? Why did you not make yourself known?”</p><p>Apollo shrugged. “I didn’t want to bother you. I mean, you’re the one who gave me a soul. The least I could do in return is cede control to you.”</p><p>Though Apollo’s existence was still an unsettling reveal, Orion was reminded of why he ventured here in the first place. Fixing on the clone, he asked, “You spoke Artemis’s name a few times. Do you know where he is?”</p><p>Apollo’s smile melted away, and he answered, “I might.”</p><p>“Might?”</p><p>“It’s the only place I haven’t looked in, so if he’s hiding somewhere, it has to be there.”</p><p>Orion buzzed with excitement, and he eagerly said, “Then lead the way.”</p><p>Apollo did not appear to share his eagerness. He rubbed his neck and mentioned, “It’s a bit difficult to get to, though.”</p><p>Orion was reminded of Dr. Argon’s warning--<em> You may not like everything you find </em>. Wherever Artemis was, it must be someplace closed off from the rest of his memories, protected by something unpleasant. But why?</p><p>Rather than second guess himself, Orion clenched his fists and declared, “Whatever evil awaits, I can handle it.”</p><p>Apollo just looked at him. He said nothing, and his expression remained unchanged, but Orion found his willpower wavering. He wondered if the anxiety he felt was coming from him or his headmate. </p><p>Eventually, Apollo’s grin returned, and he said, “God, you’re so pretentious. ‘<em> Whatever evil awaits </em>’?”</p><p>Orion huffed, ignoring the embarrassment he felt. “Will you take me to him or not?”</p><p>Laughing, Apollo shrugged and said, “If you say so.” And he walked out of the library, gesturing for Orion to follow.</p><p>Orion honestly did not expect their mind palace to extend past the mansion, but Apollo led him to the front doors. The clone pushed them open and stepped out, and Orion saw their mind’s reconstruction of the Fowl Estate’s land.</p><p>Unlike the near-perfect copy mansion, the yard was a bit different. Namely, there were a D’Arvit ton of fairy roses. Orange petals spread across the hills like a sea of fire, eyesoringly bright in spite of the night sky that encapsulated the land. Above them, he saw familiar star constellations, including the one that shared his name.</p><p>Apollo waded into the roses unperturbed. Orion, still awestruck, was more careful stepping in. The stiff stems tickled his legs with every step and made it hard to navigate. </p><p>After a while of swimming through the roses, Apollo stopped walking. “We’re here,” he announced.</p><p>Orion looked up. At first, he thought he was seeing a giant rose bush. However, a closer look informed him that it was a stone tower, covered with rose vines creeping across its walls.</p><p>Orion narrowed his eyes. Something about the tower was familiar. The memory was just out of reach, like a forgotten dream….</p><p>Then a wave of recognition hit him, and he knew where the tower was from. It was the one the Berserkers’ spirits were trapped underneath, the one where Artemis had his final face-off against Opal Koboi...the one where he perished.</p><p>It was the place where Artemis had died.</p><p>“This tower was destroyed,” Orion murmured offhandedly.</p><p>“Not in here, it wasn’t,” Apollo replied. Orion saw him standing in front of where the entrance to the tower should be. In place of a door was a wall of brambles, forming a barrier too thick to penetrate.</p><p>Apollo stood back and waved at the barrier, as if to signal to Orion, <em> Go ahead </em>.</p><p>Orion walked forward. He placed a hand on a branch and tried to move it. Unsurprisingly, it refused to budge. He tried peeking through the gaps in the bush, but it was too dark inside to make out anything. “Artemis is in there?”</p><p>“Like I said, it’s the only place he could be. Assuming, of course, that he didn’t just disappear completely.”</p><p>Orion’s mouth set into a thin line. He stepped back and looked up the tower, seeing the vines and flowers snake across it. It looked like a building ripped out of a fairytale illustration.</p><p>Apollo stood by him, tilting his head up to match him. “It’s like one of those childhood stories, right?” he commented. “Like that princess who was sleeping inside a tower. What was that called?”</p><p>“The Sleeping Beauty?”</p><p>Apollo snapped his finger. “That’s the one. Artemis is the princess, and you’re the prince.”</p><p>Orion’s lips were tugged upward at that comparison. He turned his gaze back to the blocked off entrance, feeling his determination renewed. Focusing his imagination, he visualized a sword, and it promptly appeared in his right hand.</p><p>“Apollo?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“You have no idea how long I’ve been dreaming of rescuing a princess from a tower.” With that, he swung his sword at the thicket.</p><p>Apollo scratched his chin. “Wouldn’t that mean you’ll have to kiss yourself?” he asked, but the question went unheard by the knight.</p><p>Pieces of stem and thorns flew as he hacked at the wall. One piece grazed his cheek, and he paused to hiss and touch the place where he had been scratched. When he took his fingers away and looked down at them, he froze.</p><p>Red liquid sat on his fingertips. Blood. He wasn’t supposed to be able to bleed inside the mindscape.</p><p>As much as it unsettled him, he decided to file this problem in the back of his head. Artemis was the priority here. Wiping the blood away on his pants, he went back to cutting the plant wall apart.</p><p>“Wait a second,” Apollo said, making Orion pause just long enough to listen. “We don’t know how long you’ll be spending in there. If both you and Artemis are gone, then who’s piloting the body?”</p><p>Orion thought about it, then turned to face him. “You, I suppose.”</p><p>Apollo blinked. Clearly, he wasn’t expecting that answer. “Me?”</p><p>“Sure. You <em> are </em> able to, are you not?”</p><p>“Yes. I think. As long as I have your soul, then, I guess...yes, I can.” He flapped his hands and said excitedly, “Sorry, I didn’t think this would ever happen. I mean, I’m fine spending all my time in here. To think--the real world!--”</p><p>Orion decided to tune out his rambling and go back to saving Artemis. If appointing Apollo was a bad idea, then...well, he’ll deal with the consequences later.</p><p>When the gap he had cut was deep enough, he pushed the branches aside and tried to force himself through. It wasn’t a perfect fit, and he winced as he felt more cuts open on his skin, but eventually he made it through. With the light filtering through behind him, he was able to see the interior of the tower. There were no steps leading upward, but there were steps leading down, spiralling deep into the earth.</p><p>“Good luck!” Apollo shouted to him, and Orion looked over his shoulder to see the clone giving him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture before turning back to the stairs. With a deep breath, he began to descend.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, back in the physical world, Holly was getting antsy doing nothing but watching Orion sleep. She paced the room several times before stopping to face Dr. Argon. “Isn’t there anything we can do?”</p><p>“I’m afraid not,” Argon replied, gesturing to Orion’s unconscious body. “It’s all up to him.”</p><p>“But you’re his psychiatrist. Can’t you help him?”</p><p>“The point of psychology is not to fix other people’s problems, but to help them solve it themselves.”</p><p>That answer was not enough to assuage her, and she would have done something like punch a wall if her communicator hadn’t chosen that moment to ring. She looked at the contact number and cursed.</p><p>During Artemis’s absence, she had given Butler his own communicator to keep in touch. Now, he was calling her. She knew leaving the manor without telling him was a mistake, but Orion was unwilling to open up to his bodyguard, and she sympathized with the difficulty of revealing his dilemma.</p><p>She picked up.</p><p>“Holly,” came Butler’s gruff voice.</p><p>“How’s it going, Butler?”</p><p>Deflecting her attempt at conversation, he cut to the chase and asked, “Is Artemis with you?”</p><p>Deflated, she answered, “Yes. He’s safe. We’re just visiting Haven.”</p><p>On the other end, she heard what sounded suspiciously like a gun being disassembled. “You could have told me. You know how I worry.”</p><p>“We didn’t think it was worth it?” She cringed as the lie came out her mouth. No doubt, Butler could see through her like a pane of glass.</p><p>“Are you sure? It’s unlike Artemis not to tell me where he’s going.”</p><p>It was true. Holly struggled to think of a better excuse or explanation. After a stretch of silence, Butler said, “You know, just because Artemis loves to hide things from us doesn’t mean we have to hide things from each other.”</p><p>Holly sighed. He was right, of course. Butler was her friend, and she would never keep lying to him. Toeing lightly, she asked, “Do you remember Artemis’s Atlantis Complex?”</p><p>A beat passed. Butler said, “Did Orion tell you?”</p><p>Holly blinked. “You know?”</p><p>“I guessed. I’ve spent time around them both, and I know how to tell between them.”</p><p>Holly relaxed. “In that case, I don’t know why Orion would want to hide this from you when you already know Artemis is missing.”</p><p>“Missing?” </p><p>From the way he said it, Holly immediately knew she messed up. Butler continued, “What do you mean, missing?”</p><p>She silently swore in her head. So that was why--he knew that Orion fronted, but thought he still switched with Artemis.</p><p>As she tried to think of how to lightly spill the beans, the teen’s body stirred. It was so sudden after a long period of stillness that it caused Holly to jump.</p><p>“Sorry, I have to go--he’s waking up,” she blurted and closed the call before Butler could ask any more questions.</p><p>She was by the boy’s side in an instant. She watched as his eyelids fluttered, then flew open, revealing blue irises. “Orion?” she asked, then more tentatively, “Artemis?”</p><p>His eyes moved toward her and rested for a long moment. Then, “Neither.”</p><p>Holly’s stomach dropped to her feet.</p><p>Next to her, Argon made a choking sound. “<em> Neither? </em>”</p><p>The human looked up, and he smiled. The smile was not quite as wide as Orion’s, but not as tight as Artemis’s. “I should probably introduce myself, shouldn’t I?” With that, he stretched out a hand to Holly and said, “You may call me Apollo.”</p><p>Holly stared at his hand, but she was too shocked to accept it.</p><p>Neither?</p><p>Butler was going to <em> kill </em> her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Orion wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he entered the tower.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The spiral staircase led to a small room with nothing but a door in the wall. When he stepped through, it took him a while to adjust to the darkness, and soon he noted that this place looked very familiar--which made sense, because it was yet another copy of Fowl Manor, just with less light. It seemed a bit uncreative, but Dr. Argon did mention once that constructions in the mind were easier to imagine when they were based off places the mind knew well--like, say, the house you grew up in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But this version of Fowl Manor was...off. It was much more foreboding. The lights were out and the curtains were drawn. An eerie sense of emptiness pervaded the building, heavier than normal, and silence blanketed everything like a thick cover.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion felt his hand grow light, and he looked down and saw that his sword had disappeared. His scratches remained, and something about the air in here made them sting worse. He ignored them and reached his hand reflexively to where the light switch should be, but found that it was missing. When he tried opening one of the curtains, he saw that the window was completely missing, replaced by nothing but wall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaving the lights alone, he ventured into the mansion and called out, “Artemis?” No reply came, not even an echo. It was deafeningly silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he looked closer, he noticed the details in this mansion were different from the real thing. For one, there were way too many doors. They were spaced out randomly, some cramped together and others far apart, some even on high places in the wall with no stairs leading to them. the building itself was crooked, its pillars tilted and stairs uneven. Knowing how much of a perfectionist Artemis was, Orion thought he would hate this place if he saw it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gulped. “Artemis?” he called again for good measure. Still, no answer came.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion searched the halls and corridors and found them both empty. If Artemis was here, he was behind one of the plethora of doors. Eventually, the knight ended up back where he came, so he sighed and turned toward the nearest door. If he was going to search this place inside out, he may as well begin somewhere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened the door and looked inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even though he was on the ground floor, the room before him was most certainly the attic. Or rather, it was an attic converted into a bedroom, with a four-poster bed pushed against the wall. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just like where Mum stayed during Dad’s absence</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Orion thought as he entered, recalling the descriptions given to him by his friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was so used to the silence by now that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Orion turned around, then almost wept from joy. “There you are,” he cried and ran to meet Artemis Fowl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy, who was most definitely Artemis (</span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> Artemis, and not a clone), was walking toward the bed. Orion stood before him, a million questions on his tongue, but then a strange thing happened. Artemis walked straight through him like he was made of air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion blinked and turned around. Artemis had his back turned to him, with no apparent sign that he knew he was there. It was then that Orion realized that Artemis looked shorter, younger--perhaps eleven or so. It was also then that he noticed the figure lying in the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t noticed it at first because its skin was so pale that it matched the white bedsheets. It was only after it opened its eyes that he even knew it was a person. The eyes turned to Artemis, who stood at a safe distance and greeted in a small voice, “Mother.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion finally realized what was happening. This was a memory. That was why he couldn’t be seen, and why Artemis was so young.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angeline, because that was who the figure was, smiled up at Artemis. “Are you the new servant boy?” she asked. “Won’t you tell Timmy not to be late this dinner? He keeps working late.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Artemis was heartbroken that his mother did not recognize him, he hid it well. “I’m not the servant,” he told her gently. “I’m you son, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angeline laughed, a soft laugh like windchimes in the breeze. “My son?” she said, “No, you’re too old. Arty is still a babe. I keep telling Timmy, he’s going to grow up to be a spoilsport like you if you don’t loosen up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion watched the exchange occur with horrified fascination. Even though he had recovered many memories post-resurrection, several were still missing, including this one. He had read about Angeline’s mental descent in Holly’s files, but it wasn’t the same as seeing it play out in front of him. He could even sense the tension inside young Artemis’s chest, terrible and squeezing underneath his mask of calmness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The past echo of Artemis Fowl kept his somber appearance. Rather than try to correct her again, he offered a glass of liquid toward her. “It’s time for you to take your medicine,” he explained gently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angeline pointedly ignored him. “Where is my husband? I swear, it’s almost like he’s avoiding me, working this late. I’m going to have a few words with him when he comes back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The doctor said you need to take your medicine to be healthy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angeline looked at him, and her eyes seemed to focus. For a moment, Orion thought she would break free from her delusion and apologize, and sensed the same hope being felt by Artemis. He couldn’t have been more wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her body tensed, and she scooted away from Artemis and hissed, “You’re one of them, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One of them?” Artemis asked, genuinely not knowing what she was referring to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The shadows. I hear them at night, planning to take me away.” Her features were full of hatred as she accused, “You’re an imp. You’re working with them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion saw Artemis’s cool demeanor begin to crack. The child pressed his lips together for a long moment, trying not to let the hurt overtake him, before calmly saying, “I’m not an imp. I’m…” he struggled for a second before telling her, “I’m the servant boy, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Angeline would not take it. Her mind was gripped by paranoia, and she refused to see her son as anything but a paranormal monster. She crawled away from him in her bed and growled, “Leave me. You won’t take me. Not tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis did not leave. His hands were slightly shakier as he kept the glass offered toward her. “Mother...Mrs. Fowl. You must take your medicine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion could barely process what happened next. Angeline’s pupils dilated as his hands came close. “LEAVE ME!” she screamed shrilly. In a flash, her hand thrust out and hit the glass away from her. She was apparently stronger than she looked, because the force was enough to send it crashing into Artemis’s face and breaking it into shards. One jagged piece cut into his skin and formed a gash on his forehead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Artemis was shocked. He stumbled back, then tripped on his own feet and fell. Blood was pouring from his cut, and Angeline was still bunching her covers toward her and glaring at him like </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> had been the one to hurt her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Monster!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she screamed at him. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re not my son! You’re only an impersonator here to hurt me!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The commotion must have been heard outside the room, because rapid footsteps sounded as both Butler siblings burst inside. Juliet spotted Artemis on the floor and went to his side while Butler forced Angeline back onto her bed. She screeched and thrashed and shouted swears at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the events unfolded, Orion felt himself go numb. None of this made any sense. Angeline, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>mum</span>
  </em>
  <span>, was acting like a villain. But the Angeline Orion knew was no villain. She loved him, she doted on him and Artemis, and she was always ready with a warm smile and a warm hug. She was the sweetest person he knew, and he couldn’t imagine her hurting her son, not even in her depression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He would have convinced himself that this was simply a nightmare that he was viewing, but it was too late. It was like a part of his brain had been unlocked, a previously forgotten memory fitting into place. He saw the memory play out in his mind; </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> currently seeing it in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at the memory of Artemis on the ground. Angeline’s outburst was what finally made him break. Tears pooled into his eyes, and he could no longer deny his childish age. He sobbed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The young boy pushed himself to his feet. He shoved away Juliet and ran out the room, wiping at his flowing tears as he left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Orion ran after him. But as soon as he stepped foot outside the room, everyone disappeared. Artemis blinked out of existence. Orion looked back into the open doorway and saw that the attic was, once more, empty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His heart thundered in his chest, and he distantly wondered if Apollo was sensing the effects of his fear on their body. His mouth felt incredibly dry. Shakily, he grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door closed, perhaps a little too forcefully, and backed away from it quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kept moving until he felt his back press against the opposing wall. Slowly, he slid down to the floor and stayed there, staring at the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was beginning to understand why this place was so closed off from the rest of his mind. He thought back to the last time Artemis went through a mental struggle. Dr. Argon informed them about repressed memories, and he made them confront them during their therapy...but the ones they dealt with were just the very few memories that had to do with Orion’s creation and Artemis’s fear of fours. Now…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes scanned across the large mansion, and he felt his heart sink lower with every count of a door with the promise of a painful memory behind it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of memories to sift through.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Holly watched the stranger in Artemis’s body, who currently looked like a child in a toy store. He gaped at the buildings surrounding them as they walked across Haven.</p><p>“This place is incredible!” he said loudly, spreading out his arms across the magical cityscape. He ignored the strange looks he got from bystanders and continued to turn in place, taking it all in. “I mean, I always knew it was beautiful, but it looks so much nicer in person. Don’t you love living here? Well, no, I guess you must miss the surface. But I think this place is amazing!”</p><p>Despite herself, Holly was amused. He reminded her of Orion during his first time fronting--wide-eyed and wondrous at all the things he finally got to experience first-hand. The difference was that Orion’s first time was less than ideal, while this guy was luckier to be introduced off-mission.</p><p>She continued reminding herself that. No matter how worrisome this ordeal was, <em> at least </em> they weren’t caught in a brink-of-death situation that only Artemis could solve. At least it wasn’t so urgent this time around. She could afford to wait until Orion returned with Artemis in tow...hopefully. </p><p>That didn’t mean she liked waiting around, though.</p><p>Her hand reached out to grab the human’s shirt before he wandered off too far. “Erm…”</p><p>“Apollo,” he reminded.</p><p>“Yes, Apollo. How long will Orion be away?”</p><p>Apollo shrugged. “He did enter the most repressed area in our mind, so I’m guessing a long time.”</p><p>“Repressed?”</p><p>When he saw her worried expression, he smiled. “Why the surprise? I thought it was obvious that Artemis is traumatized as <em> hell </em>.” His eyes moved over her head, and he added, “Ooh, is that a food stand?”</p><p>His short attention span was almost making <em> her </em> lose focus of her thoughts. She blinked into awareness, then reached out an arm to stop him from making a line for the food stand. “Would you stop wandering around?”</p><p>“But I want to see this place! Artemis never explored.”</p><p>“Can you just…” She took a deep breath and asked, “Can you tell me if Orion and Artemis are okay?”</p><p>“I mean, I literally just said Artemis is traumatized, so…” Seeing her frown, his smile fell, and he held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, but <em> most repressed area in our mind </em> means I can’t see anything going on in there, so I have no idea.”</p><p>Holly bit her tongue and looked away. She expected that answer, but still…. Her arm was lowered, but Apollo didn’t move.</p><p>“You’re upset,” he noted.</p><p>“I’m concerned.”</p><p>“For both of them? Even Orion?”</p><p>Holly frowned. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I thought you hated Orion.”</p><p>“I don’t hate Orion.”</p><p>Apollo sucked in through his teeth and said, “Don’t you, though?”</p><p>Holly looked up to glare at him. “I do not!” Then, with more uncertainty, “I mean, I do like Artemis more, but Orion is still an okay guy…”</p><p>“Woah, you guys eat <em> worms </em>?”</p><p>...aaand he left her for the food stand. Holly sighed and followed after him. She found him eyeing the stinkworm skewers hungrily. “If I buy you a stinkworm, will you stay still and focus?”</p><p>“Bold of you to assume I can do that.”</p><p>Holly pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. We’ll walk around while we talk, so you can explore the wondrous city of Haven.”</p><p>That option pleased Apollo greatly, and he stood back with a grin as she went up to the stinkworm seller.</p><p>She had to admit, it was nice to finally get someone to try out fairy cuisine. Artemis always refused to eat a stinkworm because he found their appearance revolting, and the one time she tried offering one to Orion, he said it looked like a witch’s minion and tried to stab it. </p><p>When she got the stinkworm and turned to offer it to Apollo, she found that he had taken off his suit jacket and was tying it around his waist.</p><p>“It was getting hot,” he explained.</p><p>Holly looked at the jacket. It was clumsily tied, with no care about it getting crumpled. “Artemis would hate you for wrinkling his suit,” she commented.</p><p>“Artemis needs to loosen up,” was Apollo’s response. He accepted the stinkworm from her and took a large bite. Its juice dripped down his chin messily.</p><p>Something about seeing him like this, the opposite of Artemis’s careful and neat nature, made it finally click in her brain that Artemis was absent. She’d known, of course, but didn’t fully absorb just how much this meant. While Apollo had already begun wandering through the city, Holly cupped her face and muttered, “Oh, Frond, how will I explain this to your mother?”</p><p>“My mother?” He waved a hand carelessly and told her, “Don’t worry. With how neglectful she is, I doubt she’d even notice.”</p><p>Holly uncupped her face to frown at him. “Angeline isn’t neglectful.”</p><p>“Sure she is. How else could Artemis have gone years living a double life without her suspecting? She’s too caught up in her own life to pay attention to her son’s. The father is just as bad--worse, actually, since he expected Artemis to act like an adult since he was born.”</p><p>He stopped his speech to wipe at the dribble on his chin with a sleeve, then caught Holly gawking at him. “What? I guess it sounds mean, but it’s true.”</p><p>“Artemis never complained about his parents.”</p><p>“Of course not. He’s blinded by bias; he loves them too much to admit their flaws. I’ve only been around for a few months, so I can look at their relationship from an outsider’s perspective and tell you, it aint it, chief.”</p><p>“A few months?” Orion had always told her that he’d existed in the back of Artemis’s mind since the boy was born, but this guy was speaking like he’d only sprung into existence recently.</p><p>“Well, yeah. You should know, since you made me.”</p><p>That response was definitely <em> not </em> one she expected, and she almost tripped on her own feet from surprise. “I did <em> what </em> now?”</p><p>“Well, you and Foaly. Mostly Foaly, but you were the one who provided him with the DNA samples to make me exist.” He took another bite out of the stinkworm and mumbled, “This thing is delicious.”</p><p>Ignoring the last sentence, she tried to compute what was just said to her, until she finally said, “Are you talking about the clone?”</p><p>“That’s me,” Apollo confirmed.</p><p>“But...clones are mindless.”</p><p>Apollo sighed, like this was something he had to explain many times over...even though he’d only met two or three people so far. “It’s like I told Orion,” he said, waving his food as he explained, “clones are <em> soulless </em>, but they can still have a consciousness. The soul is just what makes us, well...alive. Not comatose. Artemis and Orion are the ones who gave me their soul, hence how I’m able to walk and talk right now, but I still would have existed in thought without them.”</p><p>Holly stared ahead as she absorbed what was said to her. “So. I made you.”</p><p>Apollo smiled. “Hey, in a way, that sort of makes you and Foaly my parents!”</p><p>Holly choked very quietly and said, “Please, never refer to us as that ever again.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, Mum.” He looked at the contraption next to the road and added, “Woah, is that a conveyor belt you can stand on?”</p><p>Holly groaned and rubbed her face. “Your real parents are going to have a heart attack when they meet you.”</p><p>“That’s right, Orion is keeping all this a secret from them, isn’t he? A poor decision if you ask me, but I guess I can play along.”</p><p>“And how are you going to do that?”</p><p>“By pretending to be Artemis, of course.”</p><p>Holly looked him up and down. His white shirt was stained with grease, his chin covered with bits of stinkworm. “Really,” she said, clearly unimpressed. “You’re going to be Artemis.”</p><p>Apollo pouted. “Obviously, I’m not trying <em> now </em>. Just look--” And his entire stance changed. His back straightened, his face slackened apart from a slight wrinkle between his eyebrows. One hand flattened the wrinkles from his shirt while the other wiped away the food from his face before falling by his side. </p><p>“Worms? For <em> food </em>?” he said in a voice absolutely laced with disgust. “You People are a strange folk. I would much rather stick to my caviar, please.”</p><p>It was such a convincing impression that, for a second, Holly forgot this was a different personality and believed Artemis had returned. Then he smiled and returned to his carefree posture. “Pretty good, right?” he asked.</p><p>Holly blinked. Her mouth hung open for a moment before she closed it and slowly nodded. Apollo beamed.</p><p>“I thought so. I <em> was </em> made to replace him, after all.”</p><p>Replace Artemis. Holly’s chest tightened. She could only hope the replacement wasn’t permanent.</p><p>She was distracted for only a second by her thoughts before she looked up at Apollo again. It took her a moment to notice that he was slowly sliding sideways across her vision. It took her another moment to realize he had stepped onto the public conveyor belt.</p><p>“Hey--I told you to stop wandering away!” she shouted and hopped on after him.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, their tour underground did not take as long as Holly had feared. They walked around for several more minutes before Apollo complained that “My legs feel like they’re burning.”</p><p>Holly rolled her eyes. “That just means you’re tired. Come on, let’s get you back to your home.”</p><p>As they took a shuttle to the surface, Holly realized they would have to explain things to Butler. No matter how stone cold the bodyguard appeared to be, she knew how soft he was for his principal, and she struggled to think of the least hurtful way to break this to him.</p><p>The shuttle trip ended sooner than she’d liked. It was still nighttime when they arrived on the surface, and the crickets chirped as they went through Fowl Manor’s gates.</p><p>Butler was waiting for them inside. He stood up as soon as he saw them.</p><p>Apollo, who had put his suit jacket back on before they entered and thus looked a little more like Artemis, walked up calmly to him and said, “Greetings, old friend. How have you been?”</p><p>Butler’s eyes gave him a quick look-over to make sure he was physically unhurt before he fixed him with a stern look. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Orion.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Apollo said, forsaking his role and reverting to his more casual self. “You figured out I’m not Artemis, didn’t you? Although,” he placed a hand to his chest and added, “sorry to disappoint, but I’m not Orion, either.”</p><p>Holly thought she saw the barest falter in Butler’s pose. “You’re...not?”</p><p>She resisted the urge to shy away when his gaze turned to her quizzically. “Butler,” she found herself saying, “say hello to Apollo.”</p><p>Butler stared at the boy, who only smiled and waved in return. “What happened to Orion?”</p><p>“He’s somewhere in our head, searching for Artemis,” Apollo answered.</p><p>“Searching?”</p><p>“Yeah. Didn’t Orion tell you he’s not there?”</p><p>Holly could see Butler’s composure start to crack as he struggled to take all this in. She nudged Apollo toward the stairs and said, “Didn’t you say you were tired? You should go to bed.”</p><p>As soon as she said that, he yawned. “You’re right,” he said. “Being in control is tiresome.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’m sure a good sleep will fix that.”</p><p>Apollo complacently went up the stairs to his bedroom, pausing only to look back at Butler and say, “It was nice to meet you.”</p><p>Butler’s mouth hung open for a minute before he managed to say, “Yes. Nice to meet you.”</p><p>As soon as Apollo was gone, he turned to Holly and asked, “<em> Apollo </em>?”</p><p>Holly sighed and explained. “Apparently, the reason Orion didn’t want to reveal himself was because he couldn’t hear Artemis in his thoughts. So we went to Dr. Argon for help, and when he woke up again, he was...that guy.”</p><p>Butler was quiet for a moment before asking, “Why would Artemis be missing?”</p><p>Holly shrugged. “Trauma, or something.”</p><p>Butler looked up the stairs to where Apollo had disappeared. Holly could guess what sort of struggle he was going through at the moment. How do you protect someone when the problem exists only within his own mind?</p><p>“Orion will find him,” she assured. She didn’t want to mention the other possibility--that they could both disappear. She was surprised to discover that her worry extended to both personalities.</p><p>Butler tore his eyes away from Artemis’s bedroom to face her. “What about until then? Something like this can’t be hidden from his parents.”</p><p>“Apollo seems to think he can pull off being Artemis until they come back.”</p><p>Butler said nothing, just returned his gaze up the stairs. The dim lighting cast shadows across his face, accentuating his faint wrinkles.</p><p>Holly flew up to him. She placed a hand on his arm reassuringly and told him, “You can think about it tomorrow. For now, even soldiers need to rest.”</p><p>Butler reluctantly nodded. “Thank you,” he added.</p><p>Holly gave a small smile. “What for? Running off with your charge behind your back?”</p><p>“It wouldn’t be the first time he hid things like that.”</p><p>Holly’s smile fell, and she softly said, “That’s true.”</p><p>The two friends stayed together for a moment longer before they parted with goodbyes. Despite what she said to him, Butler doubted he could rest well after that night’s revelations.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>CHECK OUT THE COOL ART FOR THIS CHAPTER!! https://purplepentagrams.tumblr.com/post/643160108234375168/my-piece-for-the-artemis-fowl-big-bang-i-worked</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Frankly, Orion was getting sick of this place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that first memory, he'd figured there were way too many for him to search methodically through each of the rooms without spending an eternity. Finding Artemis was the priority, he decided. The two of them could deal with the memories later. Together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only problem with this reasoning was that, in order to search for Artemis, he had to peek into the doors--and that meant catching glimpses of the traumas that lay inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw Artemis’s first injury. He saw him get pushed at school. Saw Butler die. Saw Butler get revived. He even opened one door and found the Arctic plains where his father got shot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strangely, after closing each door, he felt the scratches on his skin--still there from fighting his way in through that wall of bushes--burn as if they were newly inflicted. It was like each memory held a dagger that dug deeper into his cuts. He knew there must have been a reason for it, but he wasn't a theorizing type like Artemis, so he put the pain in the back of his mind and carried on with his search.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion sighed as he approached another door, knowing more unpleasantries awaited behind. He was ready to quickly check for Artemis’s presence (likely absent) before closing the door, but when he saw what the memory inside was, he paused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark wooden bookshelves lining the wall, and casement windows letting in light across the desk in the room, informed him that this was Artemis Sr.’s office. On the center of the floor, sprawled belly down, was a young toddler--little Artemis, playing in his father’s office. Artemis did not own many toys, and so he improvised: books were stacked in the shapes of buildings, and chess pieces were scattered across the carpet, which Artemis used as figurines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curiosity carried Orion’s feet into the room. This did not appear to be a bad memory. In fact, he found himself smiling as he watched little Artemis use a knight piece as a horse for a pawn to gallop on. So why was this memory in here?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if to answer his question, a door on the far end of the office opened. Artemis Sr. stood in the doorway. He saw the mess on the floor, and emotions flicked across his face in quick succession-- shock, confusion, then anger. He strode to where Artemis was and grabbed the wall of one book-house, causing the rest of the building to collapse. Artemis scrambled to his feet in surprise and looked up at his father’s scowling face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is this?” the man demanded, gesturing with the book at the miniature city Artemis had built.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis shied away from him. His head was bowed low, but then his father said, “Stand straight while you speak!” so he raised his head but kept his eyes low.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was playing,” he answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Playing</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis gathered enough courage to glance at his father before quickly dropping his gaze again. “Playtime has been proven to effectualize children’s mental capacity,” the young boy explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father slammed the book onto his desk, causing the toddler to flinch. “Yes, but you do not do it in my office,” he told him. “You have the recreation room for that, and your allotted playtime. You do not play during work hours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you are not working now,” Artemis pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis Sr. sighed. He kneeled down until he was on eye level with his son. “This is not about me, it’s about you. Do you know why you were born?” When Artemis Jr. did not respond, he continued, “You are my heir. Your purpose is to succeed me in my business, which means you must learn to be a proper businessman.” He nodded at the clock. “If you were employed, then now would be a busy time. You could be in a meeting. Do you think it’s appropriate to play with toys in a meeting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what about your office? Imagine an associate knocked on your door with a question, and he entered and found it littered with make-belief houses. Would that be appropriate, either?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis bit his lip and shook his head again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought not. Now, clean this mess up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis bent down to pick up the books that his father had knocked down, but still he hesitated. He kept his eyes trained on the carpet and mumbled, “But I want to play.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speak clearly. I can't hear you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis raised his eyes until he was looking at his father’s tie, and repeated more loudly, “I want to play.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sr.’s jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists, and for a split second, Orion was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> he was going to hit him. Then he took in a deep breath, and his hands relaxed. He put on a smile, and he reached for his son’s hand, opening his palm and picking up the knight piece he had been carrying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you want to play, I can teach you to play chess,” he said. “A man’s game. Wouldn't you like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis did not like that. He wanted to go back to the town he built and play with the characters his imagination had conjured. But he knew his father wouldn't like that answer, so he reluctantly nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father patted his shoulder with a grin before standing up. “Now, clean up, and I’d better not see you playing in my office again. It’s childish behavior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion couldn't believe what he was hearing. “Of course he's childish, he's </span>
  <em>
    <span>five</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said. But Artemis Sr. was just a memory and could not hear him. So was little Artemis, who was picking up the books and chess pieces from the floor with his head bowed low.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anger boiled inside his chest. He bit his tongue and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Once outside, he took several deep breaths to calm himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was the same situation as the memory with his mother. Both Fowl parents have changed, he knew they had, but the memories still displayed them at their worst. Now, he felt conflicted about his feelings toward them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to put it out of his mind and turned back to look at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took him a second to notice the red liquid on the doorknob that had definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> been there before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down at his palms. He had a vague memory of scratching them on his way in, but now those scratches had evolved into deep gashes running across his palms. Red blood leaked out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clasped his hands together in an effort to block the bleeding. The other injuries on his face burned, and he didn't need to look at himself to know they were bleeding the same way. He backed away from the door in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breath quickened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no question about it. This place was hurting him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion knew the cliché in fiction was for the alter to desire stealing control from the host, but he had always been quite comfortable with his assigned role. He was to be brought forward when Artemis was too sullen, then pulled back once he recovered. He provided Artemis with a respite, but never cared much for carrying the mental baggage himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, it seemed, he was never meant to handle this much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion wondered if Artemis felt these effects as well. Didn't Dr. Argon mention the possibility of his permanent disappearance? Maybe Artemis had spent too much time in here, and lost too much blood…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. He couldn't afford to think that. Artemis was alive, and Orion would find him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down at his bloody hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he couldn't afford to stay here any longer, either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a tactical retreat, he told himself. Holly would understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved away from the door, turning to the direction of the foyer. His feet picked up pace the closer he got to the exit, eager to get out of this awful mansion. However, as soon as it entered his field of vision, all hope was sucked out of his body like a vacuum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thick rose branches had grown over the doors, fastening them shut. Orion dragged himself toward them. He pushed one hand against a branch, but it was useless; it refused to budge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion gritted his teeth. He wrapped his hands more forcefully around the branches, ignoring the pain they caused to his bleeding hands, and shook them vigorously. The more he failed to move them, the more frustrated he became, until he let go with a cry and rested his head against the bush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breath was short, his chest felt tight, and wetness pooled in his eyes. He felt like he was near breaking apart, so he took in deep breaths to calm himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was reminded of the first week he ever spent fronting in Artemis’s body. Life was hectic and confusing when experiencing it in first person, and the emotions he got were overwhelming. Dr. Argon’s advice for him was to slow down and dissect what emotions he was feeling in the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion closed his eyes and thought about what emotions he was feeling now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was sad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, he amended. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hopeless</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt like there wasn’t anything useful he could do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion’s lip quivered.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He was worthless.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A sob escaped his throat. Who was he kidding? He was no hero, he was no knight. He was nothing but a stupid joke. A worthless comic relief who couldn’t even do his job right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion cried. Tears flowed down his cheeks and he lowered himself to the cold ground and curled into himself as more sobs shook his body. Why did he ever think he could be helpful?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure how long he spent that way, doing nothing but crying and feeling sorry for himself. Eventually, though, something pulled him out of his misery. A voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...sodium pentathol. Commonly known as truth serum...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion looked up. Though the voice was little more than a mumble, in the silence of the mansion, it rang like a shout. His eyes searched for the source of the sound before he finally found it--a single door left ajar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion was certain that he’d checked all the doors in the mansion, and they were closed. He’d closed every door behind him that he had opened. That could only mean one explanation for the open door, and that was that someone else was here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion gasped. Could his quest finally be coming to a close? He wiped his tears away and scrambled to his feet, then moved carefully toward the room with the voice, anticipation making him tremble with every step.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You're mad!” a second voice. One very familiar, as was the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I win, I'm a prodigy. If I lose then I'm mad. That’s the way history is written.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion reached the door, and he gently pushed it open. The room was fresh concrete, empty apart from a single cot. Shackled to the bed was Holly. Across from her, wearing mirrored lenses and a smirk, was twelve-year-old Artemis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holly looked...despondent. Orion had never seen her so troubled before. Her shoulders were slumped, her face twisted, and her lips held a slight tremble to them. However, it only lasted for a few beats before she pulled herself together and shot Artemis a glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn't over, Fowl. We have powers you can't possibly know about. It would take days to describe them all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis laughed. “How long do you think you've been here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A few hours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three days. We’ve had you on a drip for over sixty hours...until you told us everything we needed to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion knew that was a lie. The Fowl Manor siege only lasted a night. Past Holly, however, evidently did not know that. The look on her face could only be described as pure horror. She stared at Artemis as if he was worse than any nightmare she could dream up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But nothing about the pain in her expression could equal the emotion in her voice when she spoke. “Three days? You could have killed me. What kind of…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her loss of words spoke enough. Artemis’s sneer vanished. Doubt swelled in his chest. Suddenly, he looked a lot less intimidating, and a whole lot sadder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The memory ended almost as soon as it began. Holly disappeared. The lights dimmed. Silence fell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Artemis did not vanish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy stayed in spot, his head bowed low so that shadows fell across his face and hid his features.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion felt his heart skip a beat. He stepped forward. Artemis did not move. Softly, Orion called out, “Artemis?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, the boy remained unresponsive. Then his head rose the smallest of fractions, and he whispered, “I do not deserve to go back up there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion reached out a hand and touched Artemis’s own. His skin landed on Orion’s fingers, feeling solid and </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He gulped and looked into Artemis’s eyes, which refused to do the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is you,” he whispered. Then, with more force, “Where the dickens have you been? I’ve searched all over for you! Do you have any idea--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis interrupted him by lifting Orion’s hand. Orion cut off, confused by Artemis’s sudden action, until he explained, “You’re hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion looked at his own hands, still bleeding from its various cuts. He shook his head and said, “That is unimportant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis let go of his hand and stepped back. Even though it was now apparent that this Artemis was no memory, he still looked oh so young. “Go back the way you came, Orion. You clearly were not built to withstand this place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion closed the distance between them again. “I am not leaving without you. I came here to bring you back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis turned away from him. He didn't seem at all happy to see him, which was not what Orion was expecting. “I’m not worth it,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion’s tongue tripped over itself before exclaiming, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Not worth it?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” When Artemis showed no reaction, he went on, “How could you say that? Just the fact that we are both alive is proof enough that your friends care for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis scoffed. “They stuck to my plan, but that means nothing. I’ve manipulated them into doing worse things for my gain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion frowned. He found himself unconsciously stepping back, and Artemis relaxed as he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you say that?” Orion asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis looked to the side. “Why would you be surprised?” was his response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion followed his eyes and found them pointing to the cot where past Holly had been. Understanding slid into place, and he turned back to Artemis. “That was in the past. You’ve grown since then. Holly has forgiven you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis did not look convinced. “Just leave me be, Orion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I cannot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis sighed. “Orion…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I mean,” he shifted his feet and said awkwardly, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>cannot</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis frowned and looked out the room. He spotted the roses growing on the front doors, and his face relaxed. “That should be no problem. There is another way out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked out, leaving Orion to follow in bewilderment. “There is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This place was modeled after our house. It is only logical to assume that one would be able to exit through the cellar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion caught up with his pace. “You’ll come with me,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis kept his face ahead and replied, “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion scowled and slowed down. “Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis did not answer. Nor did he care that Orion was behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Orion called out, but Artemis ignored him and kept walking. Growing hot with anger, he added forcefully, “Halt, you loathsome toad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion saw Artemis’s lips pull up in an amused smile. It seemed every word that came out of Orion was heard as a joke by everyone around him. He would have felt frustrated, but his speech’s purpose was served, and Artemis paused in his step before turning halfway on his heel so that Orion was treated to a side profile of his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” Artemis prompted, voice calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion opened and curled his fists a few times to calm himself down before he spoke. “I came here to rescue you, and I am not leaving without an explanation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled again like Orion had cracked another funny joke. “Rescue me? What makes you think I need to be rescued?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion faltered, thrown off by such an obvious question. “This place is horrible,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is,” Artemis agreed, making no effort to deny it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So then...you ought to be rescued from here, ought you not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His smile was gone, and he turned away, looking at one of the many rows of doors. He stayed quiet for a long moment before softly saying, “You've seen some of the memories here. Do you really want to live with them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion hesitated. When he didn't answer, Artemis continued, “My death and subsequent resurrection were a chance for a clean slate. Artemis Fowl could start his life over, unaffected by his past.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it wouldn't be Artemis Fowl if you're in here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Artemis turned his vision to the cellar door that he claimed would lead them out of here. His eyes didn't linger for long before they moved away from the door like it was something disdainful. “Then maybe Artemis Fowl should have stayed dead,” he stated flatly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion felt a confusing mixture of emotions, but he was able to identify and focus on one: </span>
  <em>
    <span>annoyed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “No,” he said, and stood in front of the other. “Your friends revived you because they wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> back. It was your plan in the first place! You cannot simply abandon them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After what felt like an eternity of being down here, Artemis finally raised his eyes to look at him. His appearance had changed since exiting the memory--it must have--because, apart from his more accurate age, Orion was certain he would have noticed (how could he not?) the missing gap in his left eye socket, filled with nothing but an unearthly green light. It danced and flickered like a ball of fire suspended inside his skull, casting shadows across his features with its poisonous shade of green. Orion was stunned into silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember being a ghost?” Artemis asked him, his voice low and icy cold. “I suppose you might have been asleep during that time. I know I spent a lot of time thinking as a spirit. I didn't have much time to think back when I set in motion my plan of returning myself to life. It simply seemed right at the time--the devious Artemis, cheating death once again.” His right eye turned away while the green fire in his left socket flickered. “I shouldn't have done that. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense for my story to end in that moment. I was a villain, Orion. Ending my life was my redemption.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...If I may say, Artemis,” Orion spoke once he regained his bearing. “What you are saying is absolute hogwash. Surely there are many other ways to redeem yourself. In fact, you already have! Do you not remember all those times you've saved the fairies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was that annoying smile of his again, and he chuckled. “Of course you would focus only on our good deeds. Your entire personality is to be a clichéd protagonistic hero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps you ought to be more like me, then,” responded Orion stubbornly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Artemis said. “That is why you would make a much better host than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Orion a moment to get over the shock that he had backed himself into a corner. “No,” he said, but Artemis was already stepping away, back into the twisted mansion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just leave me, Orion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he repeated more forcefully. His skills with words and poetry refused to help him in that moment, but he knew in his core that what Artemis was saying was </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He reached out a hand to grab at the other’s arm. Artemis tried to free himself, but even in their mind, Orion was stronger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Orion,” Artemis said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I came here to bring you back. I am not forsaking my quest now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Orion, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> return with me, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> receive the love and affection from your friends, and I don't care if you have this foolish notion that you're unredeemable, or that you are too </span>
  <em>
    <span>cowardly</span>
  </em>
  <span> to face things--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You idiotic buffoon, why won’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>understand!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Artemis shouted. He had stopped struggling, and Orion paused and saw the desperation all over his face. His eye pooled with tears as he told him, “I don't want to be myself anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air felt much heavier than it had been a moment before. Artemis’s mouth set into a thin line, and Orion found he had no response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blood still leaking from Orion's hand made his palm slick, and Artemis managed to pull his arm out of his grip. He stepped away, back into the darkness, and Orion’s hand was left reaching out for nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion tried to go after him, but he felt his leg being pulled back. He looked down and saw that a vine had wrapped itself around his ankle. It stretched all the way from the gap under the cellar door and was pulling him toward it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fought against the tug, biting his tongue as the thorns dug into his flesh, and glared at Artemis’s retreating back. He shouted, “So what? You’ll stay here and torture yourself with memories for all eternity?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only indication he got that Artemis had heard him was a slight pause in his step before he ignored him and continued on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tug on Orion’s ankle grew stronger, and he lost his balance and fell onto his knees and hands. He looked up to see Artemis standing by the door to the same room they had only recently left. His face tilted slightly to give Orion one final glance, and the light from his eye glowed like a distant wil-o-wisp in the dark. Then Artemis opened the door and disappeared inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion gritted his teeth. He pushed himself to his feet and walked of his own accord down to the cellar door before the vine could pull him there. He shoved the door and watched it swing open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t make out anything inside. The darkness was so deep that it seemed like the path faded into a pitch black void. He stepped one foot inside, and the vine uncurled itself from his leg and swiftly retreated into the blackness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was cold. Orion half wanted to go back inside and attempt to reason with Artemis once more, but the door slammed itself shut behind him. No doubt, their mind was just as eager to kick him out of this place as he was to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubbed his arms as he stepped deeper into the inky blackness. He walked for what felt like forever, and it seemed like he had gone blind from how much nothingness he could see. Then, at last, something appeared. A green light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion squinted. It seemed distant at first, like the light at the end of a very long tunnel, but it quickly grew bigger and stronger until it spread itself around him and enveloped his surroundings. The sudden increase in brightness forced him to shut his eyes. As he did, he felt a wind pick up and push against his skin and hair. Outdoors wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion eased his eyes open. Everything was green. Or so it seemed, until his vision adjusted and was able to make out the scene before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was surrounded by a giant, glowing green hemisphere. It looked like it could be made of glass, or slime, or mist--something magical which could not be placed. He looked up and saw wisps of light rise into the sky, and somehow, he knew those were souls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Voices spoke. Orion looked and saw a memory of Artemis standing inside the bubble while Holly and Butler were on the other side. Butler was holding Holly in his arms, forcing her back from running into the hemisphere to meet Artemis. They were saying things, but they sounded hazy and distorted through the magical wall, and Orion was too tired of listening to past conversations to decipher what was being exchanged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holly and Butler both looked distressed, but Artemis was smiling. It was not the typical Artemis smile of snarkiness. This was not the Artemis that Orion had just spoken to, nor was he the Artemis that Orion had pretended to be. This Artemis knew his time was up, and he made no more effort to hide his vulnerability. The light from the bubble caught glints in his eyes from the tears pooling there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wall of the bubble collapsed. Green smoke spread across the field. It lingered for just a second, and Artemis looked like he could be a shadow. Then a light engulfed his left eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Up until then, Orion had been seeing all the memories play out without taking part in them. It only made sense, since Artemis was the one experiencing them, not Orion. But in that final moment, he saw things from Artemis’s eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Butler dropped Holly and ran toward him, but it was too late. He felt his chest constrict and his breath be sucked out of his lungs. His soul was leaving his body. For an instant, he felt terrified--then relieved. For the first time, he would have no worries to think about. His mind would be at rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Black spots filled his vision as his eyes shut down. He felt a moment of suspension, then weightlessness--then suddenly he was seeing his own body from the outside. It stood in place as Butler kept running at it in what appeared to be slow motion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the body fell, and so did Orion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He woke up gasping, and his eyes flew open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The constellation Orion winked at him in greeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked around. He was lying on his back in a field of orange roses. Above his head was Fowl Mansion. Off to the distance, he saw the tower covered in vines and branches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he was still in their mind, but outside that awful tower of trauma. He sighed and rested his head. Then, curiously, he brought his palms up to his face to look at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bleeding had stopped. He saw his skin knit itself back together until nothing but thin white lines remained to show that he had ever been injured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orion rested his hands on his chest and looked ahead at the starry sky above him. He stayed that way for a long time, doing nothing but breathing and watching his mind’s construction of stars swim across his field of vision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, his eyes turned toward the mansion. He wondered what Apollo was doing.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>CHECK OUT THE COOL ART FOR THIS CHAPTER!! https://hop-a-lot.tumblr.com/post/643153792542605312/here-is-my-contribution-to-artemis-fowl-big-bang</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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